Passara brings technical focus to Bangladesh table tennis

Under the low light at the Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium, it was somewhat difficult to spot the newly appointed Thai table tennis coach, Pattaratorn Passara, among the 30 or so paddlers preparing for the upcoming Asian Youth Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, and South Asian Games. The 25-year-old coach blended in with the players, wearing a jersey, shorts, and sneakers -- just like the rest of them.

However, it didn't take long to identify the lanky Passara, who was seen engaging with the players, demonstrating techniques on how the ball should be served and returned, where to position their hands, and offering numerous other technical instructions. He wasted no time and began working with the players in the morning session yesterday, following his arrival in Dhaka on Sunday night.

Passara called time on his playing career last year after an illustrious run, which included becoming the singles champion at the All Thailand Table Tennis Championships 2024 and at the King's Cup Thailand Championships in 2021. He was also a gold medal-winning member of the Thailand team during the 31st Southeast Asian Games in 2021. Since retiring, Passara has taken up the challenge of coaching at the domestic level and has now joined the Bangladesh table tennis team on a two-month assignment.

"I know two months is a short time to improve the players significantly, but one thing I want to instil in the Bangladeshi players is technique," Passara told The Daily Star yesterday. "I want to teach the players specific techniques during the first month. If they can improve technically, then I will focus on developing their strength, which is also crucial for their performance. If they can manage both, they will improve in their respective games."

After conducting two training sessions with the paddlers, Passara believes that the Bangladeshi players already possess the basics, which he aims to reinforce. He noted, however, that the players lack strategic play.

Despite various limitations facing table tennis in Bangladesh, the 25-year-old coach remains optimistic about the potential of the players.

"Actually, I'm not fully aware of the types of limitations Bangladesh table tennis is facing, but I think the players can progress if they are taught the correct techniques," said Passara, who aims to instil three key qualities in the team -- power, speed, and service.

Although Passara holds a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Logistics Management, he does not possess a formal coaching licence. However, Captain Maksud Ahmed Sonnet, general secretary of the Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation, is unconcerned about this.

"I brought in Passara through a Thai coach who is currently training in the USA. According to him, young players are turning to Passara because those receiving training under him are performing better. Even paddlers from Myanmar are coming to him for coaching," said Sonnet. He added that the BTTF is considering participating in an invitational tournament to assess the players' improvement under Passara's supervision.